5 rumored moves for Cavs: Re-signing Rajon Rondo and Ed Davis
Last offseason the Cleveland Cavaliers filled their final roster spot with a veteran big, Ed Davis, to serve as more of a mentor to the team’s young bigs than an on-court presence. That seemed like a solid idea at the time; no player available was likely to crack the Cavs’ regular rotation.
Unfortunately, the unpredictable nature of COVID-19 and the league’s health and safety protocols, on top of the normal vagaries of injuries, meant the Cavs had reason to call upon their third center multiple times throughout the season. Davis played hard, but ultimately the drop-off was painfully steep. The Cavs need to explore options for that roster spot that have more left in the tank than Davis does.
The same goes for point guard. The Cavs have their point guard of the future with Darius Garland, but they need something reliable behind him. They had that in Ricky Rubio before the veteran tore his ACL, and the two teams could reunite again this summer. Either way, the Cavs need to address backup point guard with a more dynamic player than Rajon Rondo.
The 16-year veteran has basically sworn off of scoring inside the arc, instead just jacking the occasional 3-pointer at decent volume and otherwise looking to move the ball; his pass-first tendencies have evolved into pass-only tendencies. The Cavs need a younger player more willing to pressure a defense behind Garland, and Rondo is not that answer.